(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to material handling systems and, more particularly, to an improved discharge chute for use with tilt tray sorter material handling systems.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional tilt tray sorters discharge their goods onto individual chutes located near each packer. Usually at least the upper surfaces of the chutes are formed from stainless steel or corrosion resistant aluminum in order to stand up against the constant wear and tear of day in and day out usage.
Unfortunately, because of the frictional properties of metal chutes, it is necessary that the angle of inclination of the chutes be customized depending on the nominal weight of goods being handled by the chute. For example, for plywood chutes, packages weighing greater than 10-30 lbs. require an angle of less than about 25 degrees to slide to the bottom of the chute without damage. However, packages weighing less than 1 lbs. require an angle of more than about 25 degrees to slide to the bottom of the chute without stopping. As a result it has been necessary to go to the expense of custom designing chutes for most material handling applications.
Recently flooring panels have been developed for high traffic use. One such panel is made with a high density textured polyethylene overlay which is bonded to the surface of a plywood substrate with glue. These pane s are sold for warehouse floors, mezzanines and outdoor all weather decks. However, these panels have not previously bee- considered for material handling applications.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved chute for material handling applications which is suitable for high usage while, at the same time, is relatively insensitive to the weight of the material being handled, thereby eliminating the need to custom tailor the angle of the chute to the weight of the goods.